The most crumbly, buttery, melt-in-your-mouth traditional Scottish shortbread recipe - brought to you by a real Scot!
Reader Review:
For the first time ever, I was able to make a perfect traditional shortbread thanks to your recipe and instructions. I had always creamed the butter and it never turned out.
Thank you! I can now remove the tartan bag of shame off my head and proudly present this shortbread. Well done Jules, thank you.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ - Jan
Growing up in Scotland, we learned to bake shortbread at a young age in school, so it was one of the very first recipes I ever mastered. Now, as a professional Scottish baker, having a reliable shortbread recipe is non-negotiable.
While there are plenty of modern twists out there, I always use this traditional version for buttery, crumbly shortbread that melts in your mouth. Here's how we make authentic Scottish shortbread!
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Why Use THIS Shortbread Recipe
- Authentic Scottish shortbread recipe - from a real Scot.
- No food processor or pastry cutter required.
- Step-by-step process pictures and expert tips included.
Ingredients for Scottish Shortbread
A real shortbread recipe only contains three ingredients to make the actual shortbread. Then you can customize it with flavors and mix-ins.
- Butter - I like to use salted butter for my shortbread, but if you have unsalted butter, you can use that and just add ¼ teaspoon salt to the recipe along with the flour. Make sure you use high-quality butter, preferably with a higher fat content like European butter. Make sure the butter is completely at room temperature - if you use cold butter, it won't combine with the other ingredients properly
- Sugar - Use regular white sugar. Some recipes will tell you to use powdered sugar, but traditional Scottish shortbread cookies should have granulated sugar.
- Flour - All-purpose flour (plain flour) is best for making shortbread; it gives a nice structure and won't make the shortbread rise in the oven as self-raising flour would.
See the recipe card for quantities.
Measuring Ingredients:
I always recommend weighing your ingredients with a kitchen scale, rather than using measuring cups. It is very difficult to measure accurately with cups and this can mess up your bakes.
If your shortbread has too much flour in it, it may end up being cakey, and you'll lose that 'melt-in-the-mouth texture.
Recommended Equipment
This Scottish shortbread recipe requires minimal equipment and can be made with just a bowl and a wooden spoon. If you want to use a stand mixer, you can - but be very careful not to overwork the dough.
- Large Bowl
- Wooden Spoon
- Baking Pan or Cookie Sheet - depending on the method you plan to use for baking the shortbread (see ' Ways To Shape Shortbread' section below).
Reader Review:
My second batch is in the oven, and I'll be taking them to a dinner tonight! These are so easy, and so so delicious - traditional is the very best, and I thank you.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ - Jenn
How to Make Scottish Shortbread
There are many ways to make shortbread, but this is exactly how we were taught to make it growing up in Scotland. The softened butter method is my favorite because it's quick and easy, doesn't require any special equipment, and makes the most wonderful melt-in-the-mouth shortbread fingers.
Butter and Sugar
Preheat your oven to 320°F / 160°C (140° fan-assisted) and line an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper.
Put the butter in a bowl and use a wooden spoon or spatula to soften it a little. Don't try to cream it; it's just to make it more pliable.
Add the sugar and mix it into the butter, just until combined.
Add Flour
Sift in the flour and mix it together until the mixture starts to look crumbly.
Then ditch the spoon and use your hands to squeeze it together into a smooth dough with no lumps of butter. Again, be careful not to overwork it; just go until it is incorporated.
Press into Pan
Put the dough into the prepared cake pan and use your hands to press it into all the corners and make it as flat and level as possible. It is a very soft dough, so it should be easy to manipulate into the pan.
Dock the shortbread by pricking holes all over the dough with a fork.
Alternatively, you can roll it out to make shortbread cookies.
Bake
Bake shortbread for 25-35 minutes until it is just starting to turn golden brown on the outer edges, it will still be very pale on top. Baking time will vary, so it's best to keep an eye out for the golden brown edges rather than relying on a set bake time.
Remove from the oven and let cool in the pan for about 15 minutes before removing.
Slice
For clean slices, try to cut your shortbread while it is still slightly warm. Remove from the pan and use a long, sharp knife to cut straight down into the shortbread - make the pieces as big or small as you like!
Important step: Enjoy your delicious biscuit with a cup of tea. Any Scot will tell you you can't have shortbread without tea! My personal favorite is Earl Grey tea.
How to Know When Shortbread is Baked
There are so many variables that affect bake time here that it is impossible for me to give an exact bake time that will work for everyone. That's why it is so important that you know what signs to look out for to know when your shortbread is done.
Shortbread stays fairly pale and may look underbaked at first glance. We bake it a a lower temperature than classic cookies because we want the thick Scottish shortbread to bake all the way through before the top starts to brown.
By the time the very edges of the shortbread are just starting to get a hint of golden brown, the rest of the shortbread should be baked.
This is a very soft and crumbly shortbread recipe, if you want your shortbread to be a little more crisp, you can leave it in for an extra 5 minutes after this point.
Why do you prick holes in Scottish Shortbread?
Scottish shortbread is pricked, or 'docked' as it is called, to help release steam and stop the shortbread from getting soggy. This is typically done with the tines of a fork. Because it is so thick, this is the best way to ensure a crisp texture while still being crumbly and melt-in-the-mouth.
Depending on the temperature of your butter and how much flour the recipe contains, the holes may disappear during the baking process. That's okay, they are still doing their job! If you want to keep the holes for aesthetic purposes, you can chill the dough for 30 minutes before baking (after docking it).
Check out my
Christmas Cookie Box Guide
I used this shortbread recipe to make 5 of the different cookies in my Christmas cookie box!
Ways To Shape Shortbread
There are so many different ways to shape shortbread other than the traditional Scottish shortbread fingers.
- In a square pan - For traditional shortbread fingers, bake the shortbread dough in a square pan as I did here.
- In a round pan - To get wedges or slices of shortbread, press dough into a round pan instead of a square one and bake exactly the same as above, then when it's done, slice it into pieces like a pie or a cake for shortbread triangles.
- In a mold - You may have seen shortbread baked in elaborate designs, this is done using a shortbread mold. You can find these online, like this one with Scottish thistles on it.
- Roll and cut out - You can roll out the dough with a rolling pin on a lightly floured surface and cut the shortbread cookies into shapes with a cookie cutter, just like with sugar cookie dough. To help the cookies hold their shape in the oven, I recommend chilling them after cutting them out and before baking to prevent spreading and create perfect shortbread cookies.
- Slice and Bake - For that pretty sliced shortbread look, roll the dough into a thick log shape and wrap it in plastic wrap. Place in the fridge for an hour before unwrapping and slicing into rounds. Place the rounds on a cookie sheet and bake. I use this method to make my pistachio shortbread cookies.
See my ultimate guide to Shortbread Cookies post for more information on these other methods.
Ways To Customize This Shortbread Recipe
- Chocolate Chip Shortbread - One of my favorite cookies is chocolate chip shortbread. Mix ⅔ cup of chocolate chips into the dough before baking. I think it works best with dark chocolate or semi-sweet chocolate, but use whatever kind you like.
- Nuts - Add some crunchy textures to your shortbread cookies by adding some nuts. I added chopped pistachios to mine to make my Pistachio Shortbread Cookies.
- Chocolate Dipped - Dip or drizzle your shortbread in chocolate for some extra indulgence. (Brownie points for tempering the chocolate).
- Twice-baked Shortbread - for extra crunchy shortbread, place the shortbread fingers back on a cookie sheet after slicing and bake them again for 10 minutes to make them super crunchy - like shortbread biscotti!
My Top Tips for Making Shortbread
These are some of the things to pay attention to to make sure your shortbread turns out perfectly:
- Use room temperature butter - If your butter is too cold it won't incorporate properly. But if it gets too warm, it will start to melt as you work it, and the shortbread dough will become greasy. The butter should be room temperature, but not so soft that it is starting to get melty. About 1-2 hours out of the fridge should be perfect.
- Don't overwork the dough - If you mix the dough too much you will develop the gluten in the flour and your shortbread might turn out dense and chewy, or the butter can start to melt and make the dough greasy. Just mix it until combined and no more. This is another reason why I recommend making this recipe by hand rather than with a mixer.
- Use visual cues for bake time - There are so many variables that affect bake time so often people might overbake or underbake their shortbread. See my section above on how to know when shortbread is baked.
- Using the high-quality ingredients - As there are so few ingredients in shortbread, the quality of the ingredients really matters, particularly the butter. The higher the fat content of the butter, the better - you will really taste the difference. I like to use Kerrygold, but any good quality butter will do.
How To Store Shortbread
Scottish Shortbread can keep for weeks if stored properly. Keep it in an airtight container or something like a cookie jar (or biscuit tin as we have here in Scotland). It will last for up to 4 weeks, but I doubt it will be around that long before it gets eaten up!
FAQ
Well, first of all, we invented it! So technically, all shortbread is Scottish shortbread! But traditional Scottish shortbread tends to be thicker than other shortbread cookies.
Also, you see a lot of adapted shortbread recipes that use things like cornstarch, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract. These are all fine, but they are no longer considered a classic Scottish shortbread, which typically only has the three basic ingredients.
More Scottish Recipes
Want more of a taste of Scotland? As a Scottish lass, I've got you covered! Check out some of my favorite Scottish desserts that I enjoyed growing up:
Recipe
Scottish Shortbread Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 sticks Salted Butter 227g (room temperature)
- ½ cup Granulated Sugar 100g
- 2 cups All-purpose Flour 250g
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 320°F / 160°C and line an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper.
- Make sure the butter is completely at room temperature, then put it in a bowl and use a wooden spoon or spatula to soften it a little. Don't try to cream it, it's just to make it more pliable. You can use a stand mixer if you prefer, but be careful not to overmix.2 sticks (227 g) Salted Butter
- Add the sugar and mix it into the butter, just until well combined.½ cup (100 g) Granulated Sugar
- Sift in the flour and mix it together until the mixture starts to look crumbly. Then ditch the spoon and use your hands to squeeze it together into a smooth dough with no lumps of butter. Again, be careful not to overwork it, just go until it is incorporated.2 cups (250 g) All-purpose Flour
- Put the dough into the prepared cake pan and use your hands to smoosh it into all the corners and make it as flat and level as possible.
- Use a fork to prick holes all over the dough in straight lines. Don't push the fork all the way through the dough, you just want to go about half way.
- Bake for 25-35 minutes until the shortbread is just starting to turn golden brown at the edges, it will still be very pale on top. Baking time will vary depending on a multitude of factors, so it's best to keep an eye out for the golden brown edges rather than relying on a set bake time. Remove from the oven and let cool in the pan for about 15 minutes before removing.
- For clean slices, try to cut your shortbread while it is still slightly warm. Remove from the pan and use a long, sharp knife to cut straight down into the shortbread - make the pieces as big or small as you like!
- Important step: Enjoy with a cup of tea. Any Scot will tell you you can't have shortbread without tea!
Grayson
Somehow it took way too long to cook. I put them in before 10 of the hour and pulled them out after 35 past the hour. The edges still not starting to brown but the top had started to brown slightly. I couldn't see that in my oven. I doubled the recipe on my first try. OMG, it tastes So Good!!!!!
Grayson
I forgot to change it to 5 stars.